Malabar Hill Residents Oppose Plan To Cut, Relocate 389 Trees | Mumbai News – Times of India

MUMBAI: The BMC’s plan for displacing 389 trees from Malabar Hill area has met with stiff resistance from locals and activists. The decision to fell 189 trees and transplant 200 others is driven by the need to facilitate the reconstruction of a century-old reservoir in Malabar Hill, said civic officers.
The trees marked for removal or transplantation are primarily from Hanging Gardens, Shantivan Garden, and neighboring areas around the water tank. While some activists have vehemently protested the BMC’s move to uproot trees in areas seemingly unrelated to the reservoir, civic officials argue that the space is essential as the BMC is going to construct an alternative water tank for supply of water while repairs of existing water tank are taken up.
Dr Nilesh Baxi, former tree authority member of BMC, said that what this would mean is that the entire Hanging garden will go out of bounds for the locals very soon.
“While their proposal is to cut 189 and transplant 200 trees, it has been repeatedly seen in the past how trees which are transplanted barely survive. Instead of digging up the iconic garden an alternate method for repairs of the water tank need to be found out,” Baxi said.
Activists, including Zoru Bhathena, who have lodged their objections with regards to the proposal said that the existing water reservoir admeasures a surface area of approximately 22,000 sq m. However, tree removal notices are affixed on the adjoining plots admeasuring another approximately 22,000 sq m.
“We are unable to comprehend why 22,000 sq m of additional tree cover is required to be removed to repair an existing 22,000 sq m water tank. It thus appears that something else is planned, besides repairing a water tank. These additional plans must be disclosed on the BMC portal along with a public notice,” said Bhathena, adding that the Development Plan (DP) of BMC also reveals a DP Road is proposed through the green plots adjoining Hanging Gardens.
“It is thus necessary for us to verify that no tree are being cut for a road in the garb of water reservoir repairs,” he said.
On Thursday, there was a public hearing also held by the BMC garden department for the suggestions and objections filed by the public.
A senior BMC officer, however, clarified that DP road is not being affected but said that the width of it has been reduced. “A portion of Shantivan garden is going to be affected by around 33.50%. There are 906 trees in the entire layout of which 389 are going to be affected but 517 will be retained as it is,” said the official.